By: Diane Benjamin
Proving yet again that essential items slip through the cracks at City Hall, Pepsi did not renew the naming rights contract for the Ice Center. Either nobody is looking for a replacement or nobody wants to buy the sponsorship.
The naming rights expired the same time the Coliseum naming rights expired: March 31, 2016.
This means the ice rink is bringing in $50,000 less a year while giving free advertising to Pepsi.
The Ice Center is normally close to breaking even for operations. They don’t make enough to actually pay for the building, losing $50,000 a year is yet another hole to close in the budget.
Funny, did you know this?
(It was a secret)
I filed a FOIA request for the current naming rights contract, I haven’t received it yet. Last night I asked David Sage if he knew, he provided me with this info after asking the head of Parks and Rec.
Meanwhile:
Is Pepsi’s name still on the building? How many YEARS of free advertising do they get?
The 4/30/17 Financial Statements still referred to it as Pepsi Ice Center even though Pepsi hadn’t paid in over a year.. The profit or loss is not stated however, it looks like it’s lumped under Business Type activities.
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If I was Pepsi, I wouldn’t want my name on a continued failure which is why they probably didn’t renew their contract. If i was the City, I’d remove their name rather than take a chance a lawsuit could be filed.
Maybe we could call it the Citizens Ice Center?
The Judy Markowitz money sucking vortex!
Taxpayers Ice Center!
Agreed they should find a new sponsor to pay for naming rights. The Ice Center is the only entertainment venue that is actually profitable with operations unlike the other venues.
They lost $50,000! The financial statements used to detail their revenue and expenses. Any surprise they don’t anymore?
The council/Staff is touting that the Ice Center is profitable. How silly of me to think that they know what their financials are.
Jamie Mathey, at the Mayor’s Town Hall Meeting held at the YWCA, stated that the Pepsi Ice Rink was profitable and full at all hours.
They used to sort of break even. Now they start down $50,000 a year. I FOID’d their revenue and expenses from last year since they aren’t in the financial statements. Very convenient.
Jamie Mathey lives in an alternate universe. By the way, Angela, you are a rock star! Great job confronting Jamie!
This is exactly why no public official or group( mayor or city council) has any business to be involved in a private or commercial enterprise they don’t have a clue on how to manage it. March of 2016 and this has not been addressed, this pisses me off!
If the voters don’t clean house over the next few years all of us will continue to bend over take it where the sun doesn’t shine!
Diane, this is exactly why we the voters need you to continue to do what you do keep us informed. I for one really appreciate what you do. Bob